Friday, September 30, 2011

A couple of weeks ago I did my first review for Stanley Home Products. I'm still using the Degreaser Concentrate to clean areas of my home. Now I'd like to introduce you to the Glass Cleaner Foaming Spray. Featuring GrimeGuard, this dual-action foam forms an effective barrier against dirt and spot-build-up. The addition of powerful ammonia makes cleaning easier.

I have a dog that licks and slobbers all over my windows on a near-daily basis. Having an effective glass cleaner is a necessity. I've used the Glass Cleaner Foaming Spray quite often and find it works effectually. It works like most other glass cleaners in that it gets sprayed directly on the surface then wiped off. Unlike any other glass cleaner I've come across, this one sprays a foam. I think I like foam better than liquid because it doesn't drip or run down when I spray it on. Cleaning my windows, mirrors, and televisions with the Glass Cleaner Foaming Spray has produced dirtless, mostly streak-free results.

The Glass Cleaner Foaming Spray comes from Stanley Home Products, a direct selling company that offers high-quality household cleaners, brushes, and mops.

I received product for review from Stanley Home Products. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

ThinkGeek, how do I love thee; Let me count the ways. I don't consider myself a geek, but I could spend hours browsing all the neat items ThinkGeek has to offer. Whether you consider yourself a geek or a collector of all things cool, ThinkGeek has an abundance of amazing gadgets, toys, t-shirts, and electronics.

The solar lights I received from this interesting company in May are still brightly glowing at night at my campsite. Recently I received the R/C Battling Robot Dinosaur and, again, I'm thrilled with the genius and fun things ThinkGeek offers.

Logan and Adam, and my husband too, like all things R/C. I'm not sure if it's the concept of being in control of the object with a remote control or watching the stunts and tricks they can do. All three of my guys have had numerous runs with the R/C Battling Robot Dinosaur and get much amusement from it.

Both the dinosaur and controller require batteries so I had to run to the store to purchase some. After we were all set getting it out of the box and ready to go, I practically got run over by the guys to see who'd play with it first. Since having the R/C dinosaur, I've seen my husband and boys get it out again and again to play. I won't even lie, I've even taken a gander at it a few times. Yes, it's that fun.

If you open the battling robot dinosaur's jaws, it will make dinosaur sounds. Or, you can close the jaws to keep it quiet. There are three different modes of play. With Room Guard mode, the dinosaur will roar and spin when someone crosses its path. My dog goes nuts with that one! With the Direct Control mode, you drive it around and control its moves with the remote control The third, Hunt Mode, requires another R/C Battling Robot Dinosaur for use. If there's another one, the dinosaurs will wander around and attack each other with IR beams or autonomously hunt each other down. The boys are begging for a second R/C Battling Robot Dinosaur for Christmas so they can see what that mode is all about.

I received product for review from ThinkGeek. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

Bodywear Boutique is a retail company, based out of California, that's dedicated to promoting healthy, active lifestyles by selling clothing that inspires you to exercise. Their most popular categories include casual clothing for women, eco friendly workout clothes, and yoga & workout clothes. Bodywear Boutique even has a price match guarantee. If you find a lower price anywhere else on an identical item within seven days of your purchase, just show them the lower price and they will match it and refund you the difference.

I received a couple of pieces from Bodywear Boutique for review. For myself, I chose the Avani Organic Racerback Sports Bra in white. It's hard to find a sports bra in my size that holds in place. Made of 92% Organic Cotton and 8% Spandex, this bra gives full coverage and support when I am exercising. If I put the bra on after I shower, it does twist up and I have to roll it down. Other than that, it fits comfortably and doesn't shift or move when I do. Although it is a sports bra, it gives more coverage and comfort than some of my regular bras.

Because my son participates in Track and Field at school, he needs pants to work out and run in. Regular jeans and pants won't do. He received the Under Armour Men's Flex Pant and has worn them both for regular wear and workout wear. Logan's not much into fashion and style, but he claims these flex pants are one of his favorite pair now. The elastic waist keeps the pants in place effectively and they include side pockets. The polyester pants are made with lightweight flatback mesh and help prevent moisture from adhering to the body. I like how they look on him and Logan likes how they fit.

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments. Giveaway is open to residents of the USA. Giveaway ends 10/14/11 at 8 pm CST. Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or new winner(s) will be drawn.

I received products for review from Bodywear Boutique. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

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From shopping for eco-friendly toys to planting your very own organic garden, Abe’s has you covered with advice from experts in their field.

Abe's Market is a blend of Etsy and Whole Foods featuring bits and pieces from Amazon, Groupon and Home Shopping Network to connect buyers seeking amazing natural products with the people who make them. There’s no need to prowl the internet for a broader natural product selection than your local natural market. At Abe’s Market, you can get all your natural product buying done in one place.

Visit www.abesmarket.com and use the special one-time only discount code “ENB-ewybyn” at checkout for $10 off a $30 purchase or more!

I received no compensation for this post. This post is for informational purposes. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

When I was younger, in my grade school and teen years, I'd write faithfully in journals. I still have them, tucked away in a cedar chest. From time to time I'll get the journals out and read them, reminiscing and remembering times past. I don't write daily in a journal anymore, but still jot down memories from time to time. Three of my girls write in their own journals, detailing their days and memories.

One company that knows the importance of preserving words is Journals Unlimited. They offer journals and notepads on acid-free, recycled paper with soy-based ink and printed in the USA. Their "Write It Down" series of journals is one of the most unique journals on the market today.

The "Write It Down" series is wildly successful due to the trademark easy to fill in format and wide variety of titles. They are available in full size, mid size, and mini size. The journals are printed in the USA on acid free recycled paper with a durable hard cover and a hand crafted look. Over sixty titles are available with thoughtful prompts pertaining to the journal themes.

For review, I chose Girls Only - A Teen Journal for my daughter, Shelby. Rather than being blank, the journal has prompts. There's lines for the date, day, time, and weather conditions. There's more lines and prompts to help Shelby write down her feelings, what happened that day, and what was going on around her. A couple of the prompts are "I am happy and excited about....." and "What I did today.....". There's usually plenty of room to write down everything and the prompts give guidance on what to write.

Shelby has been writing in her Teen Journal almost daily. She says she likes it better than traditional blank journals and that it will be a keepsake. The brownish paper is thick and smooth to write on. The journal is spiral-bound, making it easy to open and keep on the preferred page. Of course Shelby won't let me see what's in her journal; After all, it's secret stuff. But I'm glad to see her writing her thoughts, goals, and ideas down.

I received product for review from Journals Unlimited. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

I'm sure you all are familiar with the game 'Paper, Rock, Scissors'. It's been around forever, boasts its own tournaments, and even settles scores. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I can never seem to remember the rules of the game. Does paper beat rock? Do scissors beat paper? Thoese questions have been answered with the Men's Rock Paper Scissors Tee from Hank Player.

The vintage inspired, short sleeve, crew neck t-shirt from Hank Player is made of super soft, supima cotton jersey. Garment washed for softness, this tee is pre-shrunk for a true fit. It features the Rock Paper Scissors graphic on front and the Hank Player logo on back.

Logan is rather tall so I went with men's size medium for his tee. It fits him quite well. The splotches on the tee in the picture are because he put it on right after taking a shower. Logan says it's comfortable and the fabric is soft. After a few washes, the shirt has retained its shape and size. And for anyone needing to know the rules of Paper Rock Scissors, the chart on the shirt explains it all.

The Hank Player Campus Store carries hip baby gifts and novelty graphic tees for infants, toddlers, boys, and men. Made in the USA, Hank Player's vintage inspired graphic tees are pre-washed for a super soft feel. Hankplayer.com is the source for the Official NASA tee.

Win It!

One person will win two boys or girls tees in choice of size (styles to be determined by sponsor).

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments. Giveaway is open to residents of the USA. Giveaway ends 10/14/11 at 8 pm CST. Winner will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or a new winner will be drawn.

I received product for review from Hank Player. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Thanks to Mom Central Consulting, I was able to partake in the Febreze Set & Refresh blog tour. I have six kids (kinda stinky), a husband (pretty stinky), and a dog (really stinky) so I was definitely interested in trying the new air freshener. The Febreze Set & Refresh air fresheners eliminate odor while releasing a fresh scent. With its clean design, Set & Refresh slowly releases scented oils for thirty days. Available in a variety of scents, I received Linen & Sky.

No batteries or electricity are needed for Febreze Set & Refresh. That is one reason I'm fond of this air freshener. I don't want to waste batteries and I've got enough appliances zapping my electricity without having an air freshener plugged into the wall. The unit itself is slim in design so it doesn't take up much space and it's easy to use.

To activate the air freshener, the oil cartridge is inserted into the Set & Refresh with the curved side up and pushed firmly until it clicks. There's no need to cut or peel backing from the cartridge. For large spaces, the unit is to be clicked into open position and for smaller spaces it's to be closed. That gives you control over how much or how little scent you want released.

As soon as I placed the cartridge in the unit, I was immediately able to smell the fresh scent. It was a very pleasant odor that reminded me of clean laundry. For the first few days, the scent was strong enough to mask any unpleasant odors in my living room. It hasn't been thirty days since I've used it and the scent seems to have worn off a little. I'm somewhat disappointed that the fragrance didn't stay strong as long as I thought it would, but it smells wonderful and masks odors well in the beginning. Refill cartridges are available to buy separately so you only have to purchase the unit one time.

I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Febreze and received a Set & Refresh unit plus refills to facilitate my review and a promotional item to th ank me for taking the time to participate. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ from mine.

I've posted about Quest for Zhu on my blog a few times and the wait for the movie is now over. Yesterday, September 27th, the movie officially released. The "Quest for Zhu" brings the magical Zhu-niverse to life in 3-D stereoscopic animation. Starring the four original ZhuZhu Pets® characters (Pipsqueak, Mr. Squiggles, NumNums and Chunk), the "Quest for Zhu" is an adventurous, heartwarming and heroic tale that Zhu-natics of all ages are sure to love!

DVD Synopsis:

The first ever ZhuZhu Pets movie is a heartwarming tale of four lively teens (who just happen to be hamsters) on a quest to find the Place of Zhu, where they believe all their dreams will come true. Join the feisty and lovable Pipsqueak as she gets swept away to the other side of the Zhuniverse. On her adventure, she befriends Chunk, Num Nums and Mr. Squiggles. When they arrive at the Palace of Zhu, they realize it is just the beginning of their remarkable journey. A mean and controlling reptilian creature, Mezhula, tries to stand in the way of making all their dreams come true. By working together, the Zhu heroes save the day. Pipsqueak realizes she already had everything she ever dreamed of and all she really wants is to find a way back home.

Be sure to see Quest for Zhu, the first ZhuZhu Pets movie. You can also enter to win the DVD right here on my blog with my Quest for Zhu DVD giveaway that ends October 6th.

In exchange for this post, I am entered to win a ZhuZhu Pets prize pack. The opinions within this post are of my own. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ from mine.

A few months ago, while shopping at a department store, I noticed a line of cosmetics called Smashbox. It was the first I'd heard of them and I was interested in learning more about the company. I was thankful to be able to try a few cosmetics from Smashbox when I received the Studio Stash Fall 2011 kit and the Photo Set Pressed Powder.

The pressed powder comes in a compact with the powder on one side and a sponge on the other. With Vitamin C and E, the powder is formulated to stand up to studio lights and give lightweight, flawless coverage. I'm quite impressed with how well the pressed powder covers my freckles and imperfections. It doesn't have a heavy or greasy feel and the sponge itself is very soft against the skin.

The Studio Stash Fall 2011 kit is a set of cosmetics and makeup pouch. The kit includes mascara, lip gloss, cheek highlighter, eyeshadow, and cream eye liner. It's almost everything I need all in one. The pouch itself is black in color and has a wrap that can be used with it. I've never used cream eye liners before and must say I was dazzled with how easy it was to apply and how long it stayed on. I can't ever seem to make liquid eye liners work so I was a little hesitant that the cream eye liners would be the same. A mini liner brush is included with the eye liner palette and there are ten different colors to choose from. I've used most of the colors and really like how they make my eyes pop. The mini liner brush makes it very easy to apply the liner to my eyes.

The eyeshadow suits my skin tone well and doesn't looked cake on. The four colors can be worn alone or together. I do wish the eyeshadow included an applicator but I've been using one that I purchased. The same goes for the cheek color. The lip gloss has a glistening shine and stays on my lips for quite some time. My blanket conclusion is that I really like Smashbox Cosmetics and will be purchasing additional colors and shades.

I received products for review from Smashbox. The opinions within this post are of my own and I was not influenced in any way. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment presents the continuation of summer fun and thrill points as Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, the irresistible family comedy based on the best-selling book series, arrives on Blu-ray and DVD on October 11th. The first film adaptation of the beloved children's book series, Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer, by Megan McDonald with illustrations by Peter H. Reynolds, is a laugh-out-loud hilarious treat for adventure-loving kids, tweens, and adults.

Feisty, fearless Judy Moody (Jordana Beatty) is looking forward to the most super-duper, double-rare summer vacation ever. The trouble is, her parents are called out of town and her BFFs are going away with their own families. That leaves Judy trapped at home with her pesky brother Stink (Parris Mosteller) under the watchful eye of Aunt Opal (Heather Graham). But with a little playful planning - and a lot of imagination - Judy turns a snoresville summer into the way-not-boring adventure of a lifetime.

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The school year may be in full swing, but that doesn't mean that you can't still take some time and relax with a good book. Here's a list of favorite books that have been adapted for the silver screen that make for fun reading no matter what age you are - which of course includes Judy Moody and the Not Bummer Summer.

Diary Of A Wimpy Kid: Roderick Rules

One favorite read is the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, which centers on 7th grader Greg, his social interactions, and life with his crazy family. Roderick Rules is about something many people can relate to: struggling to get along with a sibling.

Harry Potter

To some kids, and adults, the Harry Potter books are an essential part of their lifelong reading experience. From Sorcerer's Stone to The Deathly Hallows, the Harry Potter franchise is something of a legend. If you're one of the few that hasn't read these books, make sure to check them out this fall!

Ramona and Beezus

The Ramona and Beezus book series follows the lives of Ramona and her family in Portland, Oregon. The popular series began in the 1950's and it's most recently written book, Ramona's World was published in 1999. Even though the first book in the series is over sixty years old, the series remains popular to this day.

R.L. Stine's Goosebumps

Looking for an excuse to cuddle up with a good book? Pick up R.L. Stine's chilling Goosebumps series. This book series has been giving kids the heeby geebies for years, and it's sure to make you hide under the covers this autumn.

James and the Giant Peach

The beloved classic James and the Giant Peach has provided much joy for many children. Author Roald Dahl (who wrote many other fantastic children's books, some of which have also been made into films) will take you on a journey of adventure and friendship, which is the perfect escape from homework or a rainy day.

Holes

In Louie Sachar's Holes, follow Stanley and his friends as part of a juvenile detention center, while they dig holes in a wasteland of heat and sunburns. Together they improve their characters as young men, but not before embarking on a wild adventure in the desert that will leave you cheering for all of them.

Matilda

Another Roald Dahl book to check out this fall is Matilda. The classic story of a gifted four year old with really terrible parents will have you rooting for her success at becoming a happy, normal little girl. It will also most likely make you grateful for your family and their love.

Judy Moody

Megan McDonald's Judy Moody series is a favorite, no matter what the season! The series follows the adventures of a hilarious third grader and her family and friends. Judy's self-exploration and fun projects are enjoyable for everyone to read, and they might just give you some crafty ideas of your own to test out!

Follow Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment on Twitter, FoxHomeEnt.

Tweet about this giveaway, leave a link to the tweet (can be done once daily).

One extra entry per relevant comment for commenting on any NON-GIVEAWAY post. Comments must be made during the duration of this giveaway. Come back here and tell me where you commented.

Leave a separate comment for each entry and include your email address in the comments. Giveaway is open to residents of the USA. Giveaway ends 10/14/11 at 8 pm CST. Winners will be randomly drawn and will have 48 hrs. to respond to email notification or new winner(s) will be drawn.

I received no compensation for this post. This post is for informational and giveaway purposes only. Please do your own research before purchasing products. Your opinions and results may differ.

ME

The Short of It

In addition to writing for my blog, Heck Of A Bunch, I also work full-time as a 911 Dispatcher. I'm married with a blended family of six kids and a dog. In what spare time I have left, I'm a referee for the local roller derby team.

PR Welcome

If you'd like me to try out your product or sponsor a giveaway, please don't be shy. I'd be honored to team up and have some fun! E-mail me at partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com.I am interested in reviewing your products and/or hosting a giveaway. I require a sample product for all reviews. Sample products will not be returned and you will be responsible for all shipping costs.Please allow up to 2 weeks for your review to be completed. I will send you an e-mail when the products arrives and again with the link once the review is posted on my blog. Thanks!

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FTC Disclosure

I receive products for review from companies so I can try them and give my full, honest opinion. The opinions within the post are of my own and I am not influenced in any way.
It is the reader's responsibility to research all facts regarding a product.
At times I write a sponsored post and that fact is included in the post. As well, I include the fact that I have received a product for review.